Share this Page

‘For the first time in a long time, Man Utd have a solid spine’

Date published: Monday 14th August 2017 9:17

A Liverpool supporter thinks Simon Mignolet was blameless for all of Watford’s goals on Saturday, while a Manchester United fan reckons the side look much better without Wayne Rooney or Michael Carrick.

Have anything to add on any of these issues? Join the debate right here.

Andy, I’m like you mate – always love a player who puts the effort in. I always loved Perry Groves and you could only love him for his effort – it certainly wasn’t his prowess in front of goal!

Let’s face it, that’s the only reason Ollie’s been such a fan favourite. He’s never got more than 16 goals in a season and I’d be surprised if any of the other top 6 or 7 PL teams have had that kind of poor return from their first choice striker for what? Seven years now?

But last season and for a large part of the season before that, I felt the effort was gone. I don’t know if he just got complacent but almost every game he started, he was largely anonymous for most of it and a personal bugbear of mine was that stupid tongue-out thing and look to the heavens he does every time he misses, as though he was just a bit unlucky and that next time, he’d hit the back of the net.

In fact, the more I think about it, I’m sure it was/is complacency. For his first few seasons, he probably couldn’t believe he was the first choice striker for a team that can boast Henry and van pur$ie as two of their most recent. Now, the pattern seems to be that he puts in a few great performances from the bench, then Wenger gives him a shot as a starter again and he rarely fails to disappoint.

As for favourites – easy one for me – Rambo. Like Theo, with Aaron it’s just about Wenger playing him a position that suits him and then the player himself providing consistency. Theo I’ve pretty much given up on but Rambo seems to be relishing playing centrally again.

Also a big fan of Welbeck – another player you know could be great but a question of whether he’ll ever find the consistency. And it’s hard not to still love Sanchez – he really can’t be blamed for wanting out but is still one of the most exciting players in the PL and he usually works harder than anyone else on the pitch too.

afternoon mate.with you on ozil.i have to be honest and say i don’t want him to sign a new contract.i think we would look far more solid as a team if we got another combative midfield player in and pushed rambo in that role.at least we know we will have energy to burn,and thats what the other team don’t have,passengers in their team.

the goals we give away were schoolboy errors.no one was commited in attacking the ball and i fear playing against the likes of utd, who have tall players and will hurt us on set pieces.to have two left backs in a back 3 was always going to be tough on us.got to give credit to giroud.what a great attitute the lad has,and it’s great,for once,to hear a player wanting to stay to fight for his place.my fear is wenger not getting anyone else in now.that would be a huge mistake fully knowing our spine can get stronger with an addition or two.

Costa clearly wants a move to Atletico Madrid. He’s wanted this for sometime and unfortunately for him they have a transfer embargo. He’s a disruptive influence within the squad (as proven last season and under Mourinho). The club have clearly had enough of him (and I don’t blame them). However, what should we do with him?

Do we bend over and just sell him to Atletico for any price or do we hold out for a good offer? Or do we let him sit and see out his do contract with him clearly on strike and never to return to the club?

I think both the club and Costa could’ve handled this situation better. We could’ve kept Costa onside for this season with the promise that we’d sell him in January to Atletico or the following summer. This would have given us two quality strikers within our squad.

The official set the precedent by booking Alonso so early in the game that he game himself few options when it came to the Cahill decsion. Cahill himself did no favours going in the way he did so really the official was correct (and Cahill did not complain at all). However, that does not give any logic as to why as a team we just folded for the rest of the half and conceded 3 goals…?

Much better second half and a bit unlucky not to have got the draw

Michy was a waste of space and could not hold the ball up which is what we needed when down to 10 and so the ball just kept coming back. Moratta looked a much better player both on and off the ball so I fully expect him to start against Spurs. Thought Christensen and Rudiger looked OK under the circumstances but obviously need game time to improve their understanding of each others play and roles. Did not think that Dave looked comfortable in the WB role at all but maybe that was just down to how the game panned out..?

Apart from the Michy/Moratta decision which could have gone either way I cannot see any other options for a strong starting 11 were open to Conte so nonsense to claim he threw the game delibberately

We need to regroup and focus on the next few weeks as the games are coming thick and fast and unless we improve (and keep 11 players on the pitch) we could find our ourselves adrift and playing catch up so early in the season. KTBFFH

What an embarrassment. Mr Parish we have to have Sakho to organise our defence, apparently he is good in the dressing room as well. We must act quickly as this is exactly what Liverpool lack and they could suddenly realise that it is under their noses. We have not forked out yet and any ground expansion seems far off. If we don’t get him we might not need him next year. Secondly we need a goalie pretty quick. Whilst adding young pace to the side the system takes it away as the long ball appears to be a no no with no way of suddenly releasing the likes of Zaha who not using pace is easily (well easier) to mark with 2 or 3 defenders. With him out our attack is limited and there is no indication of obtaining more although the youngsters have been brought forward.

United will win the league. We will finish 5th. Rafa will resign from Newcastle. Brighton or Bournemouth to finish bottom. Everton will win the FA Cup. City the League Cup. Real Madrid the CL (again). Top scorer – Lukaku, hands down (they’ll create so much for him) with Lacazette up there too.

If we are going to be a tad critical, IF, you could say we wasted loads of chances to have had that game wrapped up by half time. To be honest 4 or 5 nil wouldn’t have been an injustice. That said, away from home, new side, raised by crowd, 11 behind the ball, ref letting some tackles slide for home team, 2 goals scored, none conceded, no injuries, I’d say job well and truly done. Walker looked very good, Danni did too and keeper only dropped ball once so all good.

Solid,solid and solid again. Dont know how good the West Ham team is but United looked solid and hard to play against. Matic was impressive. Can all the Carrick lovers just shut up and see the diffeerence a solid dmf player brings to our team now? Thats what i have been saying for many years;Carrick is overrated.

Matic-Pogba and Miki is our midfield and with Rashford-Martial on the wings and Lukaku on top nice things will happens. Ha,even Jones looked solid.
Our weakest positions are still the fullbacks but the team looks so much better this season with Rooney replaced with Miki and Carrick replaced with Matic.
Thank you Mourinho,at last a manager who ditch Rooney and Carrick,so happy for this.

Today we saw for the 1st time in a long time a United team with a proper spine

De Gea
Bailly
Matic
Lukaku

Then we have Rashford Mkhitarian and Martial with pace to burn around them.

I still think we need a LB and a CB to play alongside Bailly let’s hope Lindelof comes good in that respect.

RS83 I was getting frustrated with Rashford before he setup Lukaku’s goal but we need to give him time only 19, as the game went on he got better and better and he caused the West Ham defenders most problems that shot that come off the inside of the post shows this.

For me Martial has to start but at the expense of Mata not Rashford like many are saying a front 4 of Lukaku Miki Rashford and Martial has pace to burn which is what the modern game is all about with 2 powerful CMs in Matic and Pogba backing them up.